Six Creative Non-Candy Valentine Ideas for Preschoolers With Food Allergies
It’s the season of love. I know that candy and chocolate are what most people think about when they think of Valentine’s Day, but as a food allergy family, it can sometimes be stressful searching for those elusive allergy-safe treats.
Don’t forget that as a parent, YOU get to mold and choose your family culture.
Your kids don’t even know the difference and if it includes time with you, your child will love whatever you decide to do. Yes, I know candy is huge for a preschooler, but if you don’t focus on it, they won’t either! So if that means light on the candy and heavy on the fun and love, then so be it! Memories filled with fun and love will be the most special in the end!
In this post, I’ve got some creative non-candy valentine ideas for preschoolers that will spark creativity and get your family into the spirit of love and kindness and make your food allergy preschooler feel special too.
Check out 6 of the best & most creative non-candy Valentine ideas for preschoolers with food allergies below!
Hey there, I’m Corinna!
I help severe food allergy parents keep their kids safe without missing out on life at home, school, at social events, and while traveling. I believe that food allergy families and kids deserve safe & fulfilling life experiences, and it’s my goal to help you get there!
If you believe this too, make sure to sign up for my free Food Allergy Kid’s Empowerment Guide. You’ll get ways to get your preschooler ready for the independence of school,, PLUS I’ll keep you in the loop about the allergy lifestyle workshops I offer and ways to connect with hundreds of other anaphylactic food allergy mamas like you! Hope to see you there!
Create A Treasure Hunt.
I tried this non-candy Valentine idea with my preschoolers and they LOVED it. It was like we were having an adventure in our home together! In our case, to keep with a Valentine’s theme, I based the treasure hunt around how my hubby and I met and fell in love. Preschoolers love hearing about your family story and it creates a bond between you all. The bonus is that this idea reminds you and your partner of your love story too.
Here’s how I did it:
I used special pictures and items that had special meaning to us that we had throughout our house. Each item had a special note on it with a short story and clues to the next item. Remember to keep clues easy enough so the preschoolers can figure it out easily.
P.S. If you’re single parenting, tell a story and create a treasure hunt about your kids. Kids love to hear about when they were born or a special baby story!
2. Decorate.
The night before Valentine’s Day after the kids went to bed, hubby and I decorated our kitchen. Seeing my kid’s eyes when they saw the next morning was priceless!
Don’t worry, the decorations don’t have to be elaborate! Even taping a balloon to each person’s chair and adding a few low-cost streamers hanging from the ceiling can create quite the stir!
Another idea is to tape streamers over the kid’s door once they're asleep. When they wake up and see the brightly colored doorway, you’ll hear screams of delight!
3. Volunteer To Help Others Together.
Ok, this can sometimes be a challenge with preschool kids, given their age. A simple idea would be to make handmade Valentine cards. Start by cutting out a large pink or red heart. Write a happy note on the heart. Have each kid add their own special drawing to the card. Then deliver the cards to the local senior’s home. The Valentines don’t have to be elaborate, just big enough so that if the senior’s home hangs them up, they can be easily seen.
What better way to create meaningful, loving memories than helping others on Valentine’s day? This is a great non-candy valentine's idea for preschoolers.
4. Raid The Dollar Store or Library.
There are so many cute gift ideas at the dollar store. You can make a special basket-full of non-candy Valentine fun for your preschooler. Try a valentines-themed book, bookmark, eraser, coloring book, or bath sponge (of course make sure each gift is age-appropriate).
If you don’t want to spend a lot, check out your local library for Valentine’s themed-books. You’ll be able to spend the whole day reading new stories about love.
5. Make A Valentine’s Craft Together.
The family that crafts together, stays together. That’s a saying, right? Similar to the heart valentines in #3, this does not have to be fancy! You can make it as simple as making a heart-shaped valentine that you put up on the walls for a few days.
If you’re a little more crafty, you can check out these ideas:
6. Write Your Preschooler(s) A Personalized “Love Note”.
You choose what you write. It can be funny, silly, or sentimental. Some ideas might be to list the special qualities of your preschooler, write a funny poem, or even create an additional valentine that comes from your child’s favorite Paw-Patrol or Disney character. Imagine the joy in your child’s eyes when they open a Valentine from Mickey himself!
Conclusion
Don’t worry about finding sugary food treats this Valentine’s Day. By focusing on these non-candy valentine ideas for preschoolers you’ll fall in love with being together without the allergy worries or the sugar rush!
What are your favorite non-candy valentine ideas for preschoolers?? Share with us in the comments!
If You Liked This Post, You Might Like:
How To Explain Allergies To A Child & The Life-Changing Activity Not To Forget
Three Amazing Tips To Empower Your Food Allergy Toddler
How To Manage Food Allergy Family Drama
Introducing New Foods To A Baby With Food Allergies (Or A Sibling)
